I made these clocks for Christmas gifts. It took almost an entire year from the
time I developed the design until I buffed out the last coat of wax. The equipment I have is minimal, which makes each task just a little more difficult. Solving these basic problems is what makes woodworking enjoyable
for me.
The white ash clock has about 70 different pieces of wood; the cocobolo trimming was a new experience. One lesson I learned was: Do not use steel wool on a light wood with a coarse grain.
All the stories you've heard are true, plus the metal gets embedded in the grain.
Scotch-brite pads work best.

The other four clocks have
about 33 pieces of wood each. Two are made of walnut and two are of Honduras
mahogany. The mahogany came from dumpster diving at a nearby cabinet shop.
I hate to see good wood thrown away.
The box in the foreground is a map box. It has a glass window top with a veneered scene.
It was a fun project that I wanted to do after I saw something similar in a
book.
This year I am doing it again, something different of course. With my
recent purchase of a planer and bandsaw, the process is going a little
quicker.